This is a short study of the first 3 verses of Revelation, an amazing transaction record of a wonderful gift to the assemblies of Christ which is meant mainly to enrich the Son of God through the blessing of the Father operated in His Son’s faithful servants who are loyal to Him. What this book is and how we should use it are dealt with.
ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΙΣ ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ (1550 Stephanus New Testament)
Revelation of John
1 αποκαλυψις ιησου χριστου ην εδωκεν αυτω ο θεος δειξαι τοις
Revelation of Jesus Christ which gave to Him God did to show to the
δουλοις αυτου α δει γενεσθαι εν ταχει
bond servants of Him what things must take place in haste
και εσημανεν αποστειλας δια του αγγελου αυτου
and He signified having sent through agency of the messenger of Him
ατω δουλω υτου ιωαννη 2 ος εμαρτυρησεν τον λογον του θεου
to the bond servant of Him John, who testified the word of the God
και την μαρτυριαν ιησου χριστου οσα τε ειδεν
and the testimony of Jesus Christ what soever things he saw.
3 μακαριος ο αναγινωσκων και οι ακουοντες τους λογους της
Blessed the one that reads and those that hear the words of the
προφητειας και τηρουντες τα εν αυτη γεγραμμενα ο γαρ καιρος
prophesy and keep the things in it written. For the time is
εγγυς
near.
This is the introduction to the book of Revelations that God gave as it came into the possession of the assemblies through the agency of John. The very first words, αποκαλυψις ιησου χριστου, declare the ownership of the book. It belongs to Jesus Christ. The next words, ην εδωκεν αυτω ο θεος, trace that possession to its source in the presentation gift of the Father to His Son. At this point in the text God declares the purpose of this gift to the Son, δειξαι τοις δουλοις αυτου α δει γενεσθαι εν ταχει; He wants His Son to show to his loyal servants the things which must come into being in a hastened manor. This gift must be viewed as an enriching endowment lovingly presented by the Father to His beloved Son. Edoken, εδωκεν, has this notion in it like the gifts presented to the child by the magi in Bethlehem. That God’s good purposes for us become an object lovingly given and gratefully received within the Godhead causes me to pause in awe before Him who is so far above our thoughts and ways; his love is so great.
και εσημανεν αποστειλας δια του αγγελου αυτου τω δουλω αυτου ιωαννη, These next words trace the transmission of this possession, great and valuable as it is, into the effectual agency of John. The name of the possession is Apocalypse and it is fitting that the title of this book becomes “The Revelation of John”, because these words are carefully chosen to record the legal transmission of a possession from a principal to an agent. The principal is Christ, and the legal agent is John. The words translated as signified and sent carry in their notations a declaration of stewardship made effectual by a secondary agency of Jesus Christ’s messenger, or angel, into the final possession of John who by writing as he is directed in this book conveys it to the assemblies. In the strict terms of legal agency “of John” is legally presumed to be “of Jesus Christ”, Marking out the first foundation of legal agency: It is legally presumed that the agent is as the principal in his official dispensations. To doubt of this publicly becomes a legal cause of offence against the principal, and to act on such doubt is illegal or punishable. Because of the legal limitations of the Hebrew law of agency, agents had to be carefully selected. The law held principals accountable to their agent’s acts, as long as there was no evil in the agent’s deeds. A second foundation to the Hebrew law of agency was the legal presumption: There is no agency in evil. Though this saved principals to some extent on the one hand, it provided principals on the other insulation from gains evilly gained; they were just not liable, this aspect of the law can be seen in the parable of the unjust steward. In that instance the principal had to make a public accounting and a public declaration to legally remove the agents acts from his legally presumed commission otherwise. That steward was sagacious in his solution to his affairs (though his books would never balance, he implicated his principal in acts of repentance in regards to usury). The principal could do no other than praise his deeds. Though released from his stewardship, he would find reception in the community. The third foundation to the law was the manifest presumption that the agent executed the will of the principal. This too was in the unjust steward’s plan of action. What does this have to do with Revelations?
If a man were to suggest that John is not acting for Christ, without the principal’s public denunciation, yet the principal would be legally bound by his acts. This is to say that God would honor John’s words as his own. To doubt John is to doubt God. This is interesting as an absolute presumption of authority. Moreover to act on such doubt is to incur punishable offence. This is why this book has a principal confirmation at its end as well as the stipulation of guiltiness and penalty for the one who would add or detract from these words. I find this amazing; such condescension God has made to man that He might lift him up to certainty in the perfection of His Revelation. The possibility of John erring is not even entertain able at law concerning the record of this revelation, the supposition of possibility of error is canceled by the legal presumption that the principal is never-the-less so bound by it. Let alone the fact that the book closes with affirmation. No, the court this testimony was made for will convene with this book completely and in its parts intact. Detractions and additions will bode judgment.
Next when the apocalypse gets to John there is an affirmation made concerning his reception of the book: ος εμαρτυρησεν τον λογον του θεου και την μαρτυριαν ιησου χριστου οσα τε ειδεν. Translated: who testified the word of the God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, and what so ever things he saw. Here Apocalypse is delineated as 1) John testified word of God, 2) Jesus Christ testimony, and 3) seen things. Needless to say, testimony in this context takes on the strongest connotations of truth and legal evidence. Mankind will be held to account for this word. Why the careful legal transmission? Why the intended purpose of the Father? How can our being shown things which must come into being in haste be such a rich possession to Christ? These questions begin to be answered in the next verse. But their fullest expression is in the rest of the book.
Blessed the one that reads, and those that hear the words of the prophesy, and keep the things in it written. For the time is near. Here the Apocalypses is called written prophesy: readable, hearable, speak able, and importantly keep able. It is this Book right down to the words and letters, the testimonies and the things which John saw. Important is this blessing not just pronounced upon, but rather defining these three classes of loyal servants, (readers, hearers, and keepers). This does not merit the blessing, rather it is the blessing; it is a state of things where God the Father’s purposes are made effectual in us through the effectual ministry of Christ, just like Peter’s confession of the person of Christ: Flesh and blood did not show this unto you, but my father in heaven. Here one was to read, many were to listen, and all were to keep the things in it written. It is liturgy, an ordered public service behind, in, and through which the blessing of God in the servants of Christ enrich the Only Begotten Son of God. Can any one say we ought not to read it so in the assemblies today?
Next let me say this kind of an introduction, the conveyance of a trust held in stewardship, marks this book out as public literature not to be privately interpreted. The assumption at law is that the book is not esoteric but clearly spoken and a literal interpretation, that takes stated fact as fact and stated metaphor as metaphor to be explained in the volume of the book, is required. Independent suppositions and private speculations that had nothing to do with its writing in the first place are equaly excluded.
Lastly let me say there are things to keep here in this book, very important things. Try reading the whole book through, (30 minutes brings you to ch8, and the 30 minutes of silence in heaven; how long for the whole book?) in one setting. Then ask your listeners if they spotted any thing which it might be important for them to keep? The answers will illumine you and the book will become alive. This aliveness is the blessing of God. Is this book hard to interpret, or has it just not been studied rightly? These things are at hand, near, to his bond servants. Try it. ....DGB
ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΙΣ ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ (1550 Stephanus New Testament)
Revelation of John
1 αποκαλυψις ιησου χριστου ην εδωκεν αυτω ο θεος δειξαι τοις
Revelation of Jesus Christ which gave to Him God did to show to the
δουλοις αυτου α δει γενεσθαι εν ταχει
bond servants of Him what things must take place in haste
και εσημανεν αποστειλας δια του αγγελου αυτου
and He signified having sent through agency of the messenger of Him
ατω δουλω υτου ιωαννη 2 ος εμαρτυρησεν τον λογον του θεου
to the bond servant of Him John, who testified the word of the God
και την μαρτυριαν ιησου χριστου οσα τε ειδεν
and the testimony of Jesus Christ what soever things he saw.
3 μακαριος ο αναγινωσκων και οι ακουοντες τους λογους της
Blessed the one that reads and those that hear the words of the
προφητειας και τηρουντες τα εν αυτη γεγραμμενα ο γαρ καιρος
prophesy and keep the things in it written. For the time is
εγγυς
near.
This is the introduction to the book of Revelations that God gave as it came into the possession of the assemblies through the agency of John. The very first words, αποκαλυψις ιησου χριστου, declare the ownership of the book. It belongs to Jesus Christ. The next words, ην εδωκεν αυτω ο θεος, trace that possession to its source in the presentation gift of the Father to His Son. At this point in the text God declares the purpose of this gift to the Son, δειξαι τοις δουλοις αυτου α δει γενεσθαι εν ταχει; He wants His Son to show to his loyal servants the things which must come into being in a hastened manor. This gift must be viewed as an enriching endowment lovingly presented by the Father to His beloved Son. Edoken, εδωκεν, has this notion in it like the gifts presented to the child by the magi in Bethlehem. That God’s good purposes for us become an object lovingly given and gratefully received within the Godhead causes me to pause in awe before Him who is so far above our thoughts and ways; his love is so great.
και εσημανεν αποστειλας δια του αγγελου αυτου τω δουλω αυτου ιωαννη, These next words trace the transmission of this possession, great and valuable as it is, into the effectual agency of John. The name of the possession is Apocalypse and it is fitting that the title of this book becomes “The Revelation of John”, because these words are carefully chosen to record the legal transmission of a possession from a principal to an agent. The principal is Christ, and the legal agent is John. The words translated as signified and sent carry in their notations a declaration of stewardship made effectual by a secondary agency of Jesus Christ’s messenger, or angel, into the final possession of John who by writing as he is directed in this book conveys it to the assemblies. In the strict terms of legal agency “of John” is legally presumed to be “of Jesus Christ”, Marking out the first foundation of legal agency: It is legally presumed that the agent is as the principal in his official dispensations. To doubt of this publicly becomes a legal cause of offence against the principal, and to act on such doubt is illegal or punishable. Because of the legal limitations of the Hebrew law of agency, agents had to be carefully selected. The law held principals accountable to their agent’s acts, as long as there was no evil in the agent’s deeds. A second foundation to the Hebrew law of agency was the legal presumption: There is no agency in evil. Though this saved principals to some extent on the one hand, it provided principals on the other insulation from gains evilly gained; they were just not liable, this aspect of the law can be seen in the parable of the unjust steward. In that instance the principal had to make a public accounting and a public declaration to legally remove the agents acts from his legally presumed commission otherwise. That steward was sagacious in his solution to his affairs (though his books would never balance, he implicated his principal in acts of repentance in regards to usury). The principal could do no other than praise his deeds. Though released from his stewardship, he would find reception in the community. The third foundation to the law was the manifest presumption that the agent executed the will of the principal. This too was in the unjust steward’s plan of action. What does this have to do with Revelations?
If a man were to suggest that John is not acting for Christ, without the principal’s public denunciation, yet the principal would be legally bound by his acts. This is to say that God would honor John’s words as his own. To doubt John is to doubt God. This is interesting as an absolute presumption of authority. Moreover to act on such doubt is to incur punishable offence. This is why this book has a principal confirmation at its end as well as the stipulation of guiltiness and penalty for the one who would add or detract from these words. I find this amazing; such condescension God has made to man that He might lift him up to certainty in the perfection of His Revelation. The possibility of John erring is not even entertain able at law concerning the record of this revelation, the supposition of possibility of error is canceled by the legal presumption that the principal is never-the-less so bound by it. Let alone the fact that the book closes with affirmation. No, the court this testimony was made for will convene with this book completely and in its parts intact. Detractions and additions will bode judgment.
Next when the apocalypse gets to John there is an affirmation made concerning his reception of the book: ος εμαρτυρησεν τον λογον του θεου και την μαρτυριαν ιησου χριστου οσα τε ειδεν. Translated: who testified the word of the God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ, and what so ever things he saw. Here Apocalypse is delineated as 1) John testified word of God, 2) Jesus Christ testimony, and 3) seen things. Needless to say, testimony in this context takes on the strongest connotations of truth and legal evidence. Mankind will be held to account for this word. Why the careful legal transmission? Why the intended purpose of the Father? How can our being shown things which must come into being in haste be such a rich possession to Christ? These questions begin to be answered in the next verse. But their fullest expression is in the rest of the book.
Blessed the one that reads, and those that hear the words of the prophesy, and keep the things in it written. For the time is near. Here the Apocalypses is called written prophesy: readable, hearable, speak able, and importantly keep able. It is this Book right down to the words and letters, the testimonies and the things which John saw. Important is this blessing not just pronounced upon, but rather defining these three classes of loyal servants, (readers, hearers, and keepers). This does not merit the blessing, rather it is the blessing; it is a state of things where God the Father’s purposes are made effectual in us through the effectual ministry of Christ, just like Peter’s confession of the person of Christ: Flesh and blood did not show this unto you, but my father in heaven. Here one was to read, many were to listen, and all were to keep the things in it written. It is liturgy, an ordered public service behind, in, and through which the blessing of God in the servants of Christ enrich the Only Begotten Son of God. Can any one say we ought not to read it so in the assemblies today?
Next let me say this kind of an introduction, the conveyance of a trust held in stewardship, marks this book out as public literature not to be privately interpreted. The assumption at law is that the book is not esoteric but clearly spoken and a literal interpretation, that takes stated fact as fact and stated metaphor as metaphor to be explained in the volume of the book, is required. Independent suppositions and private speculations that had nothing to do with its writing in the first place are equaly excluded.
Lastly let me say there are things to keep here in this book, very important things. Try reading the whole book through, (30 minutes brings you to ch8, and the 30 minutes of silence in heaven; how long for the whole book?) in one setting. Then ask your listeners if they spotted any thing which it might be important for them to keep? The answers will illumine you and the book will become alive. This aliveness is the blessing of God. Is this book hard to interpret, or has it just not been studied rightly? These things are at hand, near, to his bond servants. Try it. ....DGB
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